Pattern attachment for circular knitting machines

ABSTRACT

Pattern controlling mechanism for circular knitting machines having a rotating needle carrier and setting members which act upon control jacks for the needles, said control jacks being vertically displaceable and being swingable according to a desired pattern. The mechanism is provided with pattern levers which act upon the butts of the control jacks, the pattern levers, which control the positioning of butts, being selectively moved into terminal rest and working positions by electromagnetic driving means. The driving linkage between each driving means and its respective pattern lever is such that the levers are held stably in either of their terminal positions, with a consequent reduction of power required and heat generated by the driving means.

United States Patent Plath 51 May 2,1972

[54] PATTERN ATTACHMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES {21] App]. No.: 878,642

1,801,673 5/1969 Germany ..66/25 1,905,467 1 1/1969 Germany 1,127,500 9/1968 Great Britain Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-Arthur O. Klein [57] ABSTRACT Pattern controlling mechanism for circular knitting machines having a rotating needle carrier and setting members which act upon control jacks for the needles, said control jacks being vertically displaceable and being swingable according to a desired pattern. The mechanism is provided with pattern levers which act upon the butts of the control jacks, the pattern levers, which control the positioning of butts, being selectively moved into terminal rest and working positions by electromagnetic driving means. The driving linkage between each driving means and its respective pattern lever is such that the levers are held stably in either of their terminal positions, with a consequent reduction of power required and heat generated by the driving means.

14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMM 21912 SHEET 1 CF 3 INVENTOR: ErnsT-DicTer PLATH m w m A fforney INVENTOR.

By: Erwin-.81" PLATH m (Om-M PATENTEBMAY 2 I972 3, 659,436

SHEET 3CF 3 IN V EN TOR.

Ernst-Dieter Y1 M m,

Af/m,

PATTERN A'l'IACI-IMENT FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES This invention relates to pattern controlling mechanism for circular knitting machines having a rotating needle carrier and setting members which act upon control jacks for the needles, said control jack being vertically displaceable and being swingable according to a desired pattern.

Patterning installations, wherein the needles or control jacks acting on the needles are selected for knitting or nonknitting by electromagnetic means, are known in the art, being disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,037. In such known installations a plurality of electromagnets are disposed at each selection point, the magnets having armatures which are connected to respective setting elements. The setting elements at each selection point are arranged in spaced relationship in vertical rows, the positioning of the setting elements being altered by the electromagnets so that they can be swung into and out of the circular path of the butts of the control jacks. In such machines, the butts of successive control jacks are arranged at different levels, there being an electromagnetically operated setting member at each height level. In such known installations the electromagnets must be energized during the entire period in which the respective setting elements are in either their working or non-working position, depending upon the manner of construction of the patterning installation.

Prior patterning attachments have thus required a considerable amount of electrical energy; the energization of the electromagnets gives rise to a considerable amount of heat which must be dissipated. In addition, each electromagnetic armature, or the setting element actuated by it, requires a retraction spring which must be sulficiently strong to retract the armature and the setting element connected with it into the rest or non-working position at the required speed.

The invention provides an electromagnetically driven pattern installation for a circular knitting machine wherein a relatively small amount of energy is required, and wherein the armatures of the electromagnets and the setting elements connected to them are selectively held in stable terminal positions. The electromagnets thus need not be continuously energized in either of the terminal positions of the setting elements. In accordance with the invention, pattern levers are employed as setting elements, such levers having a control edge which acts upon the butts of control jacks; the pattern levers are connected with electromagnets, powered by direct current, the armatures of the magnets being movable between two stable but adjustable end or terminal positions.

A brief electrical control impulse, and thus a brief use of energy, is sufficient to bring the electromagnet in one of two stable end positions, one of which is the rest position and the other the working position. The electromagnets may be constructed in such a way that they produce control changes in dependence of the direction of the electrical impulses which are being fed to them. Alternatively, they may be controlled independently of the direction of the electrical impulses fed to them, with the switching over into the other stable end position being effected, by switching means, merely alone through the occurance of such an impulse. An important feature of the present invention is the fact that the armature of the return magnets and the setting elements which are connected to them have two stable end positions. This insures, that the setting members are held in both their working position as well as in their rest position when the electromagnets are without power; the setting members are not under the influence of a retractor spring in either of the two positions. A retractor spring is one which would try to retract the setting element into its other position. According to the invention, each pattern lever is connected to its respective return magnet by means of a control lever, which is supported in a position in which it can swing between two stable end positions, where it is held by at least one knee spring. The knee spring does not exercise a retractive force upon the control lever as far as both end positions of the control lever are concerned, but it does exercise in the first instance a resistance against movement of the control lever against movement from either terminal position which is overcome when switching over with the aid of the electromagnet.

The control lever, according to the invention, is provided with a control pin or the like which protrudes into a guide track in the pattern lever or vice versa, and the guide track is of such configuration that its path in both end areas, when the control pin finds itself in one of the two stable end positions of the control lever, corresponds approximately with the path of the setting track of the control pin. In this way a back lash movement which may possibly occur during switching over or some other after-swing of the control lever cannot be transmitted upon the pattern lever in either stable end position of the patterning preparation element. Through a connection of the magnet armatures with the respective control levers and which are supported in a swing position via a connecting link which is adjustable lengthwise, it is possible according to the invention to regulate the relative position of the control levers and pattern levers as required. Pattern attachments according to the invention are positioned at every selection point on the knitting machine. This makes it possible, as on known mechanical jacquard installations, to allot such a pattern installation to each knitting feeder. At each of these pattern installations, the electromagnets are disposed in the known manner, spacewise displaced in relation to each other, and together with their setting elements are arranged on top of each other. However, the electromagnets of a patterning installation according to the invention have been incorporated into a complete unit, each of such units being arranged upon the knitting machine as a complete whole; each unit can be set and exchanged as one whole unit. The parts of such unit are fitted into a support element for this purpose; the support element has an underplate with a guide element, which is fixed to a reception plate from which it can be removed, replaced and set, the reception plate being fitted in a stationary manner to the knitting machine. With this arrangement it is possible to provide a locking eccentric to tighten up the guide part of the underplate of the support body. According to the invention, the reception plate can be set in position, in relation to the rotating needle carrier and control jack carrier, and in relation to the knitting machine frame, and this is best done by arranging adjusting screws in the reception plate and/or in a baseplate with which the reception plate is screwed together.

Further features and individual details and advantages of the invention can be gathered from the description below in combination with the drawings in which an illustrative pattern installation according to the invention is shown in a more or less schematic manner.

FIG. 1 shows a side view in perspective of a part of a horizontally sectioned pattern installation according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the horizontal section of the pattern installation shown in FIG. I on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the lines III-III in FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a section along the line V-V in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a section along the line VI-VI in FIG. 4.

FIG. 1 shows the spacewise arrangement of the pattern installation on a knitting machine with a rotating needle cylinder 10 which is provided in the known manner around its circumference with vertical channels or grooves 11 (FIG. 2) into which needles and control jacks are arranged in a vertically displaceable manner. The control jacks, of which only the control butts 12 are shown, are in addition to this arranged in the grooves 11 of the needle cylinder 10 in such a way that they can be swung or pivoted; the control butts 12 of neighboring control jacks are shown at dififerent height levels on the cylinder 10. They are arranged in a so-called echelon formation, as can be seen clearly in FIG. 1, in a manner well .known in the art. By arranging the control jacks so that they can be swung, it is possible for the control butts 12 to be depressed into the grooves 11 of the needle cylinder 10, thus causing the control jacks to be brouflit into or out of cooperation with cam elements (not shown), with the aid of which the control jacks move the needles belonging to them into the tucking or clearing position. The pattern installation thus determines which of the needles will take part in the knitting process and which will be excluded from the knitting process.

A pattern attachment can be allotted to each knitting feeder in the machine; such arrangement is indicated in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1, in which they are shown fixed next to each other round the entire circumference of the machine as compact building units 13 upon the stationary cam box under-part 14 of the knitting machine. Each of the patterning installations, constructed as compact units 13, has an underplate 15 which is arranged in an adjustable manner which will be described below in connection with FIGS. 3-6, incl. Situated on this underplate 15 are various wall elements, for instance, an intermediate wall 16 which together with holding strips 17 serve to support the several rod-like direct current return magnets 18 which are arranged in a spacewise displaced manner to each other. As can be seen in FIG. 2, at the right hand outer electromagnets 18 which lie there in the plane of the section, the lifting magnets with their central parts or cores which carry the electric windings are held under compression between the wall 16 and one of the support strips 17 by interposed spring washers 19. The magnets have a reciprocal rodlike armature 20; the lift of travel of the armature can be adjusted by means of self-locking nuts 21 which are arranged at both ends of the armature. Mounted upon the front end of the spindle of the armature 20, which protrudes through an opening 161 in the wall' 16, is a screw sleeve 23 which is pivotally connected to a link 22. It is possible with the aid of sleeve 23 to adjust the distance between the armature 20 of the return magnet 18 and the link 22 by loosening the nust 21 and rotating the armature 20 relative to screw sleeve 23 to adjust the terminal positions of the control lever. Control lever 24 is supported upon an axle 25 which extends through and is swivelly mounted upon the underplate 15. The axle 25 also serves as swing-axle for all other control levers of the same type which are connected with the other remaining return magnets 18. Each of the control levers 24 is connectedwith one end of a knee spring 26; the other end of spring 26 is tensioned by a holding rod 27 which holds one end of all the other knee springs 26 of the pattern installation. The control lever 24, with the aid of the knee spring 26 is held either in the first stable end position (FIG. 1) (working'position), or in a second stable end position, which is shown in FIG. 2, through the leaf spring 26. The stable end positions of the control levers 24 correspond to the two end positions of the magnet armature 20. In FIG. 2; lever 24 and spring 26 in their second stable position are designated 24/2 and 26/2, respectively.

Each of the control levers 24 has an arm 241 upon whose end is situated a control pin 28, which protrudes into a slit 29 of a corresponding pattern lever 30 which is supported in a swivelling manner upon an axle 31. The axle is similar to axle 25 and serves as a pivotal mount for all pattern levers 30 of the pattern installation. The pattern lever 30 has a control edge 301, which, as can be seen in FIG. 2, protrudes, when pattern lever 30 is in the working position, into the rotational track of the butts 12 of the control jacks, so that these butts mount the control edge 301, thus causing the control jacks to be tipped into the tricks 11 of the needle cylinder 10.

When the pattern lever 30 is in the working position, the control pin 28 (FIG. 2) is situated on the right hand side of the guide slot 29 in the pattern lever 30. When the control lever 24 swings in a counter clockwise direction, thereby displacing the control pin 28 to the lefi hand, angled end 291 of the guide groove 29, namely, the position in which the arm 241/2 of the control lever 24/2 can be found (FIG. 2), there will thus occur a swing displacement of the pattern lever 30 in a clockwise direction, so that the control edge 301 of the pattern lever will be removed from the path of rotation of the butts 12 of the control jacks. The left hand end 291 of the guide slot 29 in the pattern lever 30 is directed angularly with respect to the main portion of such slot, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. End 291 of the slot 29 has parallel sidewalls the middle line between which is coaxial with the pin 28, so that the pin 28 can be freely moved into portion 291 of the slot; the pin 28 on lever 241/2 is shown in such position in FIG. 2. Because of this, any possible backlash movement of the armature 20 of the electromagnet 18 does not cause the pattern lever 30 to turn. The right hand end of guide slot 29 is also angularly directed relative to the main portion of the slot so that any backlash of the armature 20 will not cause the pattern lever to turn when pin 28 on lever 24 occupies the right hand end of slot 29.

The switching over of the electromagnets 18 are effected through short impulses which are transmitted to individual return magnets 18 according to the required pattern in the knitted fabric, which has been drafted upon an information carrier not shown. These short electric impulses can have a relatively large amplitude, without the production of a significant heat development at the magnets, because the magnets are only very briefly energized. When actuating the return magnets 18, the control levers 24, which are connected with the armatures 20 of the energized electromagnets via the links 22, are displaced against the resistance of the bent springs (knee springs) 26 into one or the other of the two stable end positions. In the first instance the resistance of the knee spring rises via the displacement swing path of the lever 24. This continues until the dead center position of the knee has been reached, when it jumps, with the support of a further swing movement of lever 24, into the other stable end position, that is to say, from the position of the knee spring 26 to the position of the knee spring 26/2 and vice versa as shown in FIG. 2. This efiects a quick change in position of the pattern levers 30 from their rest position into their working position or vice versa; the pattern levers are retained so well in their two positions that it is possible in practice to speak of a locking of the pattern levers 30 in these positions.

An exact alignment of the pattern installation with its several setting elements on the rotating needle cylinder 10 is obtained through an adjustable arrangement of the underplate 15 of the assembly unit 13 in relation to the frame of the knitting machine. This adjustable arrangement can be seen in FIGS. 3 to 6, incl. Situated upon the under-part of the cam box 14 at each selection point, there is a baseplate 32 which is held by means of screws 33, each of which is aligned radially by means of a guide ledge 34. Fitted above baseplate 32 there is a reception plate 35 which has on its upper side a broad longitudinal groove 351 into which a swallow dovetail-shaped guide part 36, screwed to the underplate 15 of the pattern installation, can be pushed. Four set screws 37 are carried in the reception plate 35 (FIG. 4); one screw 37 protrudes into a conical depression 321 in the baseplate 32. Screws 37 support the reception plate 35 upon the baseplate 32. The reception plate 35 can be aligned to, the baseplate 32 in a certain position. After the alignment has been carried out, the reception plate 35 is connected to the baseplate 32 by means of two screws 38. The guide part 36, which is firmly screwed to the underplate 15 of the patterning installation, is sidewise adjusted in the groove 351 of the reception plate 35 by means of two setscrews 39. A further set screw 40 for such sidewise adjustment is arranged in an adjustable wedging lever 42 which can be adjusted round an axis 41, as can be seen in FIG. 4 and 6. The wedging lever 42 is actuated by a wedging eccentric 43 which is supported in the reception plate 35; this makes it possible to tighten up the guide part 36 in the groove 351. With the aid of the three set screws 39 and 40, it is possible for the entire pattern installation, which may be designated as an electrical jacquard unit, to be displaced both sideways as well as around a vertical axle. Through the arrangement of the set screw 40 in the wedging lever 42, it is possible to remove the pattern installation from the reception plate 35, without having to alter the setting of the setting screw 40. The shaft carrying the wedging eccentric 43 extends from one side of the reception plate 35, and terminates in a setting head 44 (FIG.4). The radial setting of the pattern installation with its underplate 15 is eflected by means of an adjusting screw 45 (FIG. 3) which is being supported in an arm 46 which depends from the underplate 15.

Through the adjustable arrangement of the groundplate l5 and the reception plate 35 in conjunction with the screw sleeve 23 at the end of the magnet armature 20, a precise alignment of the pattern levers 30 vis a vis the rotating needle carrier, and thus a precise and regular control action of these pattern levers in their working position upon the control jacks of the needles in the knitting machine, is insured.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles thereof, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating needle carrier, and control jacks for the needles having butts disposed in tricks of said needle carrier, the control jacks being vertically displaceable and pivotable in said tricks and being adapted to be engaged by needle-controlling cams, an improved pattern installation which comprises a plurality of pivotally mounted pattern levers, a support means adjustably mounted around the periphery of said circular knitting machine,

each pattern lever having a control edge which is adapted to engage preselected butts of said control jacks,

a plurality of control levers operatively connected to said pattern levers and adapted to move the latter into an active butt-engaging position and an inactive butt non-engaging position by being themselves moved respectively into one of two terminal positions via a dead center position situated therebetween,

electromagnetic prime moving means operatively connected to said plurality of control levers for selectively moving them into one of said two terminal positions, and

biasing means operatively connected to said control levers and adapted to urge each of said control levers into one of said two terminal positions after it has passed said dead center position in a direction toward said one terminal position, said biasing means also adapted to urge each of said control levers into the other of said two terminal positions after it has passed said dead center position in a direction toward the said other terminal position.

2. The improved pattern installation according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic means include direct current powered electromagnetic prime movers having movable armatures which are connected by driving linkages to said plurality of control levers.

3. A pattern installation according to claim 2, comprising adjustable means connecting the armature to said linkage, whereby to adjust the terminal positions of the control levers.

4. A pattern installation according to claim 2, wherein spring means connected to the control lever selectively to hold the control lever in either of said two terminal positions, said spring means passing through said dead center position as the control lever moves through a position intermediate its two terminal positions.

5. A pattern installation according to claim 4, wherein the spring means is a leaf spring, said leaf spring being interposed between a fixed abutment and a portion of the control lever eccentric of the axis thereof, the parts being so constructed and arranged that the leaf spring is bowed in opposite directions when the control lever lies in its respective terminal positions;

6. A pattern installation according to claim 4, wherein the control lever and the pattern lever are drivingly connected by a pin on one of said levers which projects into a cam slot in the other of said levers, the cam slot having portions at each end thereof which are substantially coaxial of the control lever.

7. A pattern installation according to claim 16, wherein the pattern levers are arranged one above the other, the prime moving means are electromagnets displaced from each other,

and the electromagnets, pattern levers, and linkages therebetween are incorporated into a unit which can be mstalled on the knitting machine and adjusted as a whole.

8. A pattern installation according to claim 7, wherein the unit is mounted on an adjustable support which in turn is mounted on the frame of the knitting machine, the adjustable support comprising an underplate to which the unit is secured, a reception plate secured to the frame of the machine, means for guiding the underplate upon the reception plate in a direction radial of the needle carrier, and means for selectively locking the underplate to the reception plate.

9. A pattern installation according to claim 8, wherein the locking means comprises an eccentric wedge in the reception plate, said wedge selectively engaging a part of the guiding means which is secured to the underplate.

10. A pattern installation according to claim 9, comprising a base plate fitted to the frame of the knitting machine and underlying the reception plate, the reception plate being connected to the base plate by set screws which permit the reception plate to be aligned in relation to the baseplate.

11. A pattern installation according to claim 8, wherein the underplate has a dovetail guiding part attached thereto, the dovetail guiding part being received within a longitudinal groove in the reception plate.

12. A pattern installation according to claim 11, comprising two longitudinally-spaced set screws extending into the longitudinal groove on one side thereof, a wedging lever extending into the longitudinal groove on the other side thereof, and means to move the wedging lever to lock it against the dovetail guiding part.

13. A pattern installation according to claim 12, wherein the eccentric wedge is rotatable, and comprising a shaft mounting the wedge for rotation between locked and unlocked positions.

14. A pattern installation according to claim 12, comprising an adjustable screw on the wedging lever, said screw being the portion of the wedging lever which engages the dovetail guiding part. 

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotating needle carrier, and control jacks for the needles having butts disposed in tricks of said needle carrier, the control jacks being vertically displaceable and pivotable in said tricks and being adapted to be engaged By needle-controlling cams, an improved pattern installation which comprises a plurality of pivotally mounted pattern levers, a support means adjustably mounted around the periphery of said circular knitting machine, each pattern lever having a control edge which is adapted to engage preselected butts of said control jacks, a plurality of control levers operatively connected to said pattern levers and adapted to move the latter into an active butt-engaging position and an inactive butt non-engaging position by being themselves moved respectively into one of two terminal positions via a dead center position situated therebetween, electromagnetic prime moving means operatively connected to said plurality of control levers for selectively moving them into one of said two terminal positions, and biasing means operatively connected to said control levers and adapted to urge each of said control levers into one of said two terminal positions after it has passed said dead center position in a direction toward said one terminal position, said biasing means also adapted to urge each of said control levers into the other of said two terminal positions after it has passed said dead center position in a direction toward the said other terminal position.
 2. The improved pattern installation according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic means include direct current powered electromagnetic prime movers having movable armatures which are connected by driving linkages to said plurality of control levers.
 3. A pattern installation according to claim 2, comprising adjustable means connecting the armature to said linkage, whereby to adjust the terminal positions of the control levers.
 4. A pattern installation according to claim 2, wherein spring means connected to the control lever selectively to hold the control lever in either of said two terminal positions, said spring means passing through said dead center position as the control lever moves through a position intermediate its two terminal positions.
 5. A pattern installation according to claim 4, wherein the spring means is a leaf spring, said leaf spring being interposed between a fixed abutment and a portion of the control lever eccentric of the axis thereof, the parts being so constructed and arranged that the leaf spring is bowed in opposite directions when the control lever lies in its respective terminal positions.
 6. A pattern installation according to claim 4, wherein the control lever and the pattern lever are drivingly connected by a pin on one of said levers which projects into a cam slot in the other of said levers, the cam slot having portions at each end thereof which are substantially coaxial of the control lever.
 7. A pattern installation according to claim 16, wherein the pattern levers are arranged one above the other, the prime moving means are electromagnets displaced from each other, and the electromagnets, pattern levers, and linkages therebetween are incorporated into a unit which can be installed on the knitting machine and adjusted as a whole.
 8. A pattern installation according to claim 7, wherein the unit is mounted on an adjustable support which in turn is mounted on the frame of the knitting machine, the adjustable support comprising an underplate to which the unit is secured, a reception plate secured to the frame of the machine, means for guiding the underplate upon the reception plate in a direction radial of the needle carrier, and means for selectively locking the underplate to the reception plate.
 9. A pattern installation according to claim 8, wherein the locking means comprises an eccentric wedge in the reception plate, said wedge selectively engaging a part of the guiding means which is secured to the underplate.
 10. A pattern installation according to claim 9, comprising a base plate fitted to the frame of the knitting machine and underlying the reception plate, the reception plate being connected to the base plate by set screws which permit thE reception plate to be aligned in relation to the baseplate.
 11. A pattern installation according to claim 8, wherein the underplate has a dovetail guiding part attached thereto, the dovetail guiding part being received within a longitudinal groove in the reception plate.
 12. A pattern installation according to claim 11, comprising two longitudinally-spaced set screws extending into the longitudinal groove on one side thereof, a wedging lever extending into the longitudinal groove on the other side thereof, and means to move the wedging lever to lock it against the dovetail guiding part.
 13. A pattern installation according to claim 12, wherein the eccentric wedge is rotatable, and comprising a shaft mounting the wedge for rotation between locked and unlocked positions.
 14. A pattern installation according to claim 12, comprising an adjustable screw on the wedging lever, said screw being the portion of the wedging lever which engages the dovetail guiding part. 